cobler



March 17, 1964 H. H. coBLER 3,124,810

TOILET WITH WASTE DISPOSING APPARATUS Filed Aug.. 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ha/l//E/P H. com E@ March 17, 1964 H. H. coBLER 3,124,810

TOILET WITH WASTE DISPOSING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HOME@ COBLER QM *WM A TTORNEYS United States Patent Gti ice 3,124,810 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 3,124,810 TOILET WITH WASTE DSPOSING APPARATUS Homer H. Cobler, Oakland, Calif., assign'or to Cast Aiummum and Brass Corp., San Leandro, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 131,230 3 Claims. (Cl. 4-90) This invention relates to waste disposing devices in general and is particularly directed to an automatic toilet for ship board service.

Toilets of the variety presently employed on boats leave much to be desired in their performance of a simple function, namely the disposal of Waste material. The various mechanisms for operating conventional ship board toilets are of a suficiently complex nature that a stranger on board is often placed in the embarrassing position of having to ask how they are operated. Moreover, some of the operating mechanisms, such as the hand pumps commonly employed, are extremely hard to work, particularly for ladies. What is more, many of these conventional toilets will not dispose of paper and sirnilar materials such that a separate container for used toilet paper and the like is required.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a fully automatic toilet for use on boats as well as in other equivalent environments such as often enco-untered with house trailers, cabins, etc.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a toilet of the class described which will readily pass refuse such as toilet paper, cigarette butts, and the like.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a disposal device of the class described which by virtue of its ability to pass refuse, even of an extremely iibrous nature such as celery, may be employed as, or in conjunction with, a garbage disposal system.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide disposal apparatus which is capable of pumping refuse into a relatively large head of water whereby the apparatus may be installed aboard ship either above or below the water line.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic toilet primarily for ship board service which is operable in response to actuation of a single actuating means such as a push button.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an automatic toilet of the class described which is arranged to dispense disinfectant, deodorant, or other mediums to the toilet bowl just prior `to each use whereby the various requirements pertaining to the dumping o refuse into inland waters can be readily met.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an automatic toilet of the class described wherein the duration of the ushing operation is timed.

it is a further and very important object of the present invention to provide an automatic toilet of the class described that employs a single pumping unit of novel design to both supply the flush Water to the toilet bowl as well as to handle the refuse therefrom with a non-clogging pumping and shredding action to facilitate its ready delivery to an outside body of water, a sewer system, or the like.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE :l is an elevational section view of the disposal apparatus of the present invention embodied as a ship board toilet.

FlGURE 2 is a plan View of the toilet with portions broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken at 'line 3-3 of FIGURE yl and illustrating details of a preferred pumping runit employed with the toilet.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken at line Lt-4 of FIGURE l illustrating further details of the preferred pumping unit.

FGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional vie-w of the pumping unit.

FiGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 5, but showing a modified `form of the pumping unit.

Referring now to the drawing there is illustrated waste disposal apparatus in accordance with the present invention embodied in its preferred form of a shipboard toilet 11. It will become apparent, however, from the ensuing description that lthe invention is by no means limited to this shipboard toilet embodiment but is equally applicable to toilets for other environments and even to devices for the disposal of garbage.

Broadly the toilet or other disposal apparatus includes waste material receiving means such as a toilet bowl 12 having an outlet 13 in its lower end. The bowl 12 or other receiving means is provided with a flush water dispenser 14 arranged to introduce water to the bowl and flush waste material from its walls to the outlet 13. Pumping means 16 are then provided connected between the dispenser 14 and a source of Water, e.g., an outside body of Water 17, and between the outlet 13 and a waste receiving sink such as a sewer or the body of water 17. In order that the flushing operation may be readily controlled the pump means 16 are adapted to be selectively driven in response to actuation of a control device such as a push button switch 155. In some instances it may be desirable to isolate the pump means from the Water source and Waste receiving sink by normally closed valve means 19, 21 which open upon actuation of the pump means. Thus upon actuation of the push button 18 or equivalent control device waste material introduced to the receiving means, eg., bowl 12, is mixed with ush water supplied from the dispenser 141 under the action of the pump means 16, with the Waste material and flush water being in turn introduced to the pump means for delivery to the receiving sink.

It is particularly important to note that the pump means 16 of the present invention are advantageously provided in association with a prime mover therefor as an integral unit. More specifically the pump means 16 preferably comprise a generally cylindrical volute casing 22 having a pair of coaxially associated chambers 23, 24. A dual sided impeller unit 26 is mounted for rotation within the casing, one side 27 of the impeller unit being within chamber 23 and the other side 23 being within chamber 24. impeller side 27 is formed with relatively few vanes 29 of wide separation commensurate with the production of a grinding or shredding action and simultaneous non-clogging pumping action. Conversely impeller side 23 is formed with relatively many vanes 31 of close separation so as to pump fluid at relatively high pressure. The impeller sides 27 and 28 are separated from each other by an interposed seal disc portion 32 from the opposite sides of which the vanes 29 and 31 project. The peripheral surface of disc 32 is in close rotary engagement with the interior of the casing in the region of association between the two chambers 23, 24, so as to seal the chambers from each other. A shaft 33 projects axially from the disc portion 32 of the impeller into connection with a prime mover, here shown in the form of electric motor 34, mounted coaxially of and unitarily associated with the casing 22. I n the modia ed form of the pumping unit the impeller sections 27' and 28' are formed independently of one another and positioned in separate chambers 23' and 24 corresponding to the chambers 23 and 24. The members 27' and 28' are ixedly mounted on a shaft 33 of a motor 34 between the chambers and are arranged for cooperation in the same manner as impeller sides 27 and 28.

Inlet sections 36, 37 are provided at the opposite ends of the casing in coaxial communication with respectively the chambers 23, 24. Similarly, outlet sections 38, 39 extend tangentially from the casing in respective communication with chambers 23, 24. Thus the inlet sections 36, 37 may be respectively connected to the waste receiving means and water source and outlet sections 38, 39 respectively connected to the waste receiving sink and the llush water dispenser 14. Actuation of the motor 34 or other prime mover then rotates the impeller 26 with side 28 pumping water through chamber 24 to the dispenser 14. In this manner flush water together with the waste material is pumped from the receiver through chamber 23 to the receiving sink by the action of the impeller side 27, all solid waste material being thereby pulverized to a pumpable condition whether sewage or garbage. Thus the disposal arrangement broadly described hereinbefore may be used not only as a toilet, but in addition as a garbage disposal system. Preferably in order to provide for instantaneous priming of the desiccating chamber 23, a pipe 40 is connected between the chamber and the pump outlet section 39.

Considering now more specifically the application of the waste disposal apparatus to service as the ship board toilet 11, it is noted that the ush water dispenser 14 is therein provided as a tubular peripheral rim 41 of the toilet bowl 12. The lower wall of the rim is provided with a plurality of perforations 42 and an inlet fitting 43 communicates with the rim interior. The fitting 43 is connected, as by means of a pipe 44, to the outlet section 39 of the pump means 16. Thus water pumped through chamber 24 of the pump is delivered at high pressure to the rim 41 and in turn sprayed from the perforations 42 along the bowl wall with suliicient force to ush any adhering waste material therefrom to the outlet 13.

The bowl outlet 13 is coupled to the inlet section 36 of the pump means 16. Thus the ush water and waste material flowing from the outlet 13 is pumped through chamber 23 to its outlet 38.

As regards the valve means 19 and 21, the former is preferably a solenoid actuated valve inserted between inlet section 37 of pumping means 16, and an inlet pipe 46 extending from a sea cock 47 located in the bulkhead 48 of a boat in which the toilet is installed. The valve means 21 is preferably provided as a check or Joker valve inserted in an outlet pipe 49 connected between outlet section 38 of pumping means 16 and another sea cock 51 in the bulkhead 48.

Considering now the control of the ilushing cycle, and the control push button 18, it should be noted that the push button switch is electrically connected between an electrical source (not shown) and the parallel combination of motor 34 of the pump means 16 and solenoid actuated valve 19. The push button switch, moreover, is equipped with a dash pot 52 or equivalent delay means such that upon depression of the button the switch is closed for a predetermined time interval after which the switch returns to its normally open condition. During the closed time interval, the motor and solenoid actuated valve are energized. Hence the pump impeller 26 is driven by the motor and the valve 19 is opened to admit water to the pump chamber 24 for delivery to the ush water dispensing rim 41 in the manner previously described. The pumping action taking place in chamber 23 urges the waste material and flush water delivered from the toilet bowl against check valve 21 with suicient force to open same and permit the waste to be pumped therethrough to the outside body of Water 17.

In order that various disinfectants, deodorants, or other materials may be ladded to the waste material ilushed from the toilet bowl 12 to the outside body of water, the toilet 11 is preferably provided with a dispensing reservoir 53 which projects from the interior wall of the bowl. The reservoir has a closed bottom and an open top which is traversed by the perforated rim 41. The toilet seat 54 and covering lid 56 rest upon the rim and are pivotally connected to a bracket 57 that projects from the rim in overlying relation to the reservoir. Valve means 58 are included in the bottom of the reservoir and arranged to be actuated to an open position in response to raising of the lid 56. Such valve means 58 preferably comprises a plunger 59 which is vertically and slideably supported in the reservoir, `as by means of a spider 61. The lower end of the plunger extends through an yaperture 62 at the bottom of the reservoir and is secured to a lower end at its sealing member 63 for closing the aperture. The sealing member 63 is normally maintained in closing engagement with the aperture 62 as by `means of a spring 64 concentrically disposed about plunger 59 land `arranged to urge same upwardly. The upper end of the plunger is disposed closely -adjacent an extended portion 66 of the lid 56 which projects beyond its pivot point. When the lid is raised to `an inclined position as depicted in phantom line in FIGURE l, the extended portion 66 engages the upper end of the plunger 59 and urges same downwardly against the loading of spring 64. The sealing member 63 is thus forced out of closing engagement with aperture 62 to thereby open same and dispense the contents of the reservoir 53 to the toilet bowl.

Pellets of disinfectant, deodorant, or the like may hence be periodically placed in the reservoir, a portion of such material being dissolved in each volume of water that iills the reservoir. The resulting charge is consequently dispensed to the toilet bowl each time the lid 56 is raised preparatory to use of the toilet. Subsequent to use the lid is lowered and the push button control switch 18 depressed. Flush water is responsively delivered to the dispensing rim and sprayed from its perforations into the bowl while the waste material, disinfectant or other charge, and ilush water yis pumped from the bowl to the body of water 17 or other waste receiving sink. The flush water dispensed from the rim perforations 42 directly overlying the reservoir refills same fwith some of the pellet material being rapidly dissolved therein to form `another charge. After the time interval determined by the dash pot 52 or equivalent delay means, the push button switch is restored to open position to thus terminate the flushing cycle.

What is claimed is:

l. In -a waste disposal system including waste receiving means, water dispensing means communicating with the receiving means, and a means Ifor discharging waste material to a receiving sink, the combination of waste disposal means comprising a casing having first `and second chambers with an open circular section formed therebetween, said casing hav-ing `an inlet to said first chamber for connection to a water source :and an outlet from said first chamber connected to said dispensing means, said casing having an inlet to said second chamber connected to said receiving means and an outlet from said second chamber connected to said receiving sink, -an impeller mounted for rotation within said casing, said impeller having lan annular central disc periphery thereof in rotary sealing engagement with the periphery of said section and vanes projecting from the opposite sides of said disc into respectively `said tirst and second chambers, the vanes in each of said chambers extending axially from said disc to the opposing wall of the chamber, and centripetally from adjacent the periphery of the disc, the vanes in the second chamber being lesser yin number than the vanes in the first chamber, and prime mover means connected to said impeller for effecting said rotation.

2. A ship board toilet comprising a toilet bowl having a tubular rim with perforations adjacent the bowl interior and an outlet, an open-topped reservoir projecting from the interior of said bowl in underlying relation to a portion of said rim Iand having an aperture through its bottom, a vertical plunger reciprocably mounted in said reservoir and extending through said aperture, said plunger having a sealing member at its lower `end and spring loaded to normally maintain the sealing member in engagement with the undersui'iiace of its bottom in closing relation to said aperture, la seat disposed upon said rim and pivotally secured thereto, a iid disposed upon said seat 'and pivotally secured to said rim, said lid lhaving an extending port-ion projecting beyond its pivot point engageable lwith said plunger upon upward pivotal movement of the lid, a casing formed with two chambers sealed from each other, the iirst of said chambers having an outlet communicably connected to the interior of said and an inlet, the second of said chambers having an inlet communicably connected to said bowl outlet and an outlet, la dual sided impeller mounted for rotation in said casing with one side of the impeller in the rst chamber and the other side of the irnpeller in the other chamber, an electric motor connected in driving relation to said impeller, piping means including 1a solenoid :actuated valve connected to said inlet of said iirst chamber and adopted for connection to a sea cock, piping means including la check valve connected to said outlet of said second chamber and adapted for connection to a second sea cock, and 4a time delayed opening push button switch for connection on one side to a source of electricity and electrically connected on the other side to said motor and solenoid actuated valve.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which the varies in the second chamber are spaced apart at the outer edges thereof a greater distance than the vanes in the iirst chamber.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 548,870 Hager Oct. 29, 1895 1,329,932 Sell et al. Feb. 3, 1920 1,530,380 Lee Mar. '17, 1925 1,625,902 Lee Apr. 26, 1927 2,047,866 Gross July 14, 1936 3,03 5,274 Baughmian May 22, 1962 

2. A SHIP BOARD TOILET COMPRISING A TOILET BOWL HAVING A TUBULAR RIM WITH PERFORATIONS ADJACENT THE BOWL INTERIOR AND AN OUTLET, AN OPEN-TOPPED RESERVOIR PROJECTING FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID BOWL IN UNDERLYING RELATION TO A PORTION OF SAID RIM AND HAVING AN APERTURE THROUGH ITS BOTTOM, A VERTICAL PLUNGER RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID RESERVOIR AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID APERTURE, SAID PLUNGER HAVING A SEALING MEMBER AT ITS LOWER END AND SPRING LOADED TO NORMALLY MAINTAIN THE SEALING MEMBER IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UNDERSURFACE OF ITS BOTTOM IN CLOSING RELATION TO SAID APERTURE, A SEAT DISPOSED UPON SAID RIM AND PIVOTALLY SECURED THERETO, A LID DISPOSED UPON SAID SEAT AND PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID RIM, SAID LID HAVING AN EXTENDING PORTION PROJECTING BEYOND ITS PIVOT POINT ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PLUNGER UPON UPWARD PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE LID, A CASING FORMED WITH TWO CHAMBERS SEALED FROM EACH OTHER, THE FIRST OF SAID CHAMBERS HAVING AN OUTLET COMMUNICABLY CONNECTED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID RIM AND AN INLET, THE SECOND OF SAID CHAMBERS HAVING AN INLET COMMUNICABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BOWL OUTLET AND AN OUTLET, A DUAL SIDED IMPELLER MOUNTED FOR ROTATION IN SAID CASING WITH ONE SIDE OF THE IMPELLER IN THE FIRST CHAMBER AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE IMPELLER IN THE OTHER CHAMBER, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR CONNECTED IN DRIVING RELATION TO SAID IMPELLER, PIPING MEANS INCLUDING A SOLENOID ACTUATED VALVE CONNECTED TO SAID INLET OF SAID FIRST CHAMBER AND ADOPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A SEA COCK, PIPING MEANS INCLUDING A CHECK VALVE CONNECTED TO SAID OUTLET OF SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A SECOND SEA COCK, AND A TIME DELAYED OPENING PUSH BUTTON SWITCH FOR CONNECTION ON ONE SIDE TO A SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED ON THE OTHER SIDE TO SAID MOTOR AND SOLENOID ACTUATED VALVE. 